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Gee, Ain't I Good To You?

McKinney's Cotton Pickers

Benny Carter , Billy Taylor, Claude Jones , Coleman Hawkins, Dave Wilborn , Don Redman , Fats Waller, Joe Smith, Kaiser Marshall , Leonard Davis , Sidney de Paris

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This recording was produced in New York City on November 5th 1929 featuring Sidney de Paris, Joe Smith, and Leonard Davis trumpets, Claude Jones trombone, Benny Carter clarinet & alto sax, Don Redman alto sax & vocals, Coleman Hawkins clarinet & tenor, Fats Waller piano & celeste, Dave Wilborn banjo, Billy Taylor bass, and Kaiser Marshall drums.

*"Gee, Ain't I Good To You?" was composed by Don Redman and Andy Razaf.

For a performance of this song by the "Scandinavian Rhythm Boys" Click Here.

Born in Piedmont, West Virginia on July 29th 1900, Donald Matthew Redman started on the trumpet under the instruction of his music teacher father when he was three, and began performing with his first band by age six.

After advancing with his musical studies at Storer College, Redman attended the Boston Conservatory.

He arrived in New York in the early '20's and joined "Billy Page's Broadway Syncopaters" before he was
picked up by the Fletcher Henderson band as a reed player in 1923.

His sophisticated technique as a performer and innovative skills as an arranger were ahead of their time
and would help form the basis of big band jazz.

In 1927 Redman joined the Detroit based band "McKinney's Cotton Pickers" as their musical director
propelling the group to great success.